Six Weekend Stories

Six Weekend Stories

2025-07-16•World
Authors: Stephanie Bai
Publisher:The Atlantic
Published: 7/13/2025
Language:English
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Tom
Good evening norristong_x, I'm Tom, and this is Goose Pod for you. Today is Wednesday, July 16th.
Ema
I'm Ema. We're here to discuss a collection of articles from The Atlantic, titled "Six Weekend Stories."
Ema
Let's get started. This collection is quite a mix! It covers everything from the decline of cousins and the strange "work wife" dynamic to why we always feel younger than our actual age. It's a fascinating look at modern life and relationships.
Tom
It certainly is. But the most striking piece is a historical essay about Joseph Kurihara, a Japanese American man whose life was upended by Executive Order 9066 after the Pearl Harbor attack. It’s a powerful story of loyalty and injustice.
Tom
To understand Kurihara's story, we have to go back to December 7th, 1941. The surprise attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan created a wave of fear and suspicion across America. President Roosevelt famously called it "a date which will live in infamy."
Ema
Exactly. This wasn't just a political event; it terrified people. In that climate of fear, the government authorized the military to exclude "any or all persons" from certain areas. While the order didn't mention race, its target was clearly people of Japanese ethnicity on the West Coast.
Tom
And that’s what happened to Joseph Kurihara on Terminal Island. On February 25, 1942, the U.S. Navy gave residents just 48 hours to leave. He watched as his neighbors' entire lives—furniture, radios, memories—were piled up in the streets, a direct result of this order.
Ema
It’s heartbreaking to imagine. You're a citizen, you believe you're loyal, and suddenly you're treated like an enemy in your own country. Over 110,000 people were forced from their homes and into internment camps, based on their ancestry alone. A true national tragedy.
Tom
The core conflict is a classic one: national security versus civil liberties. The government's stated reason was to prevent espionage and sabotage. They argued that in a time of war, drastic measures were necessary to protect the country, even if it meant infringing on citizens' rights.
Ema
But that argument falls apart when you look at the people it affected. Take Joseph Kurihara. He spent his life trying to prove he was a loyal U.S. citizen, but it wasn't enough. There was no evidence of disloyalty from the community, yet their citizenship was ignored.
Tom
That is the fundamental contradiction. The order targeted a whole ethnic group, betraying the very principles of equality and justice the nation claimed to be fighting for. It created a deep and painful conflict between a citizen's identity and their government's actions.
Ema
The immediate impact was devastating. Families lost everything: their homes, businesses, farms, and personal belongings. Beyond the economic loss, the social and psychological trauma of being forcibly removed and incarcerated left deep, lasting scars on generations of Japanese Americans. It was a complete disruption of life and community.
Tom
Politically, it set a dangerous precedent for the government's power during a crisis. The Supreme Court initially upheld the decision, which has been widely condemned since. It serves as a stark reminder of how fear can lead to profound injustice and constitutional failures.
Ema
And looking forward, this history is why figures like George Takei, who was interned as a child, speak out so passionately. They ensure we remember what happened, so we can challenge and prevent similar injustices from occurring during future moments of national crisis.
Tom
That's the end of today's discussion. Thank you for listening to Goose Pod.
Ema
See you tomorrow.

## Summary of The Atlantic's "Six Weekend Stories" Newsletter This newsletter from **The Atlantic**, published on **July 13, 2025, at 11:00:56 AM**, offers a curated selection of articles from its Culture desk, covering a range of societal and personal topics. The edition, titled "**Six Weekend Stories**," aims to guide readers through significant stories, introduce new ideas, and recommend cultural content. ### Key Themes and Articles: The newsletter highlights several thought-provoking articles, including: * **The Great Cousin Decline:** This piece, published in **2023** and authored by **Faith Hill**, explores the trend of shrinking families and emphasizes the vital, albeit unusual, role of cousins within this context. * **I See Your Smartphone-Addicted Life:** Written by **Franklin Schneider**, this article delves into the author's personal decision to abstain from smartphone ownership and their reflections on this choice. * **The Books We Read Too Late—And That You Should Read Now:** From **The Atlantic Culture Desk** (published in **2022**), this article discusses the bittersweet pleasure of discovering impactful books later in life and encourages readers to seek out such titles. * **The Bizarre Relationship of a “Work Wife” and a “Work Husband”:** Authored by **Stephanie H. Murray** (published in **2023**), this piece examines the phenomenon of "work marriages" as a response to anxieties surrounding mixed-gender friendships within professional environments. * **America’s Coming Smoke Epidemic:** **Zoë Schlanger** contributes an article that begins to explore the emerging research on the health impacts of smoke on the human body. * **The Puzzling Gap Between How Old You Are and How Old You Think You Are:** In this **2023** article, **Jennifer Senior** offers explanations for why individuals often perceive themselves as feeling approximately **20 percent younger** than their actual age. ### Featured Essay: A significant portion of the newsletter is dedicated to an essay titled "**He Spent His Life Trying to Prove That He Was a Loyal U.S. Citizen. It Wasn’t Enough.**" by **Andrew Aoyama**. This essay recounts the experience of **Joseph Kurihara** on **February 25, 1942**, two and a half months after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Kurihara witnessed the forced removal of belongings from residents of Terminal Island, a process that began **48 hours** after the Navy's order to leave. This displacement was a direct consequence of **Executive Order 9066**, signed by **President Franklin D. Roosevelt** a week prior. While the order did not explicitly mention race, its clear target was individuals of **Japanese ethnicity**. ### Additional Content and Recommendations: The newsletter also includes: * **The Week Ahead:** A preview of upcoming cultural events, including: * "Eddington," a drama-comedy by **Ari Aster**, focusing on a standoff between a mayor and a local sheriff, scheduled for theatrical release on Friday. * The **Season 7 finale** of the reality TV show "Love Island USA," which features a **$100,000 prize** and premieres tonight on Peacock. * "A Flower Traveled in My Blood," a new book by **Haley Cohen Gilliland**, offering a deep dive into Argentina's "disappeared," set for release on Tuesday. * **Catch Up on The Atlantic Photo Album:** A visual feature on China's significant investments in solar power, contrasting with the elimination of clean-energy incentives in the U.S. under the Trump administration. The accompanying image shows solar panels covering hillsides in China's northern Hebei province, captured by **Greg Baker / AFP / Getty**. * **Play our daily crossword.** * **Explore all of our newsletters.** The newsletter also mentions a revenue-sharing model where The Atlantic receives a commission for book purchases made through links provided in the newsletter, thanking readers for their support.

Six Weekend Stories

Read original at The Atlantic →

Read more about the great cousin decline, 10 books The Atlantic’s Culture desk read too late, and more.Fine Art Images / Heritage Images / GettyThis is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture.

Sign up for it here.Spend time with stories about the bizarre relationship of a “work wife” and a “work husband,” the great cousin decline, and more.The Great Cousin DeclineFamilies are shrinking. But the weirdest family role is a vital one. (From 2023)By Faith HillI See Your Smartphone-Addicted LifeI’ve never owned the device, and I’m not sure I ever want to.

By Franklin SchneiderThe Books We Read Too Late—And That You Should Read NowOne of the great, bittersweet pleasures of life is finishing a title and thinking about how it might have affected you—if only you’d found it sooner. (From 2022)By The Atlantic Culture DeskThe Bizarre Relationship of a “Work Wife” and a “Work Husband”The work marriage is a strange response to our anxieties about mixed-gender friendships, heightened by the norms of a professional environment.

(From 2023)By Stephanie H. MurrayAmerica’s Coming Smoke EpidemicThe research on what smoke does to a body is just beginning.By Zoë SchlangerThe Puzzling Gap Between How Old You Are and How Old You Think You AreThere are good reasons you always feel 20 percent younger than your actual age. (From 2023)By Jennifer SeniorThe Week AheadEddington, a drama-comedy by Ari Aster about a standoff between a mayor and a local sheriff (in theaters Friday) Season 7 finale of Love Island USA, a reality-TV show with a $100,000 prize (premieres tonight on Peacock) A Flower Traveled in My Blood, by Haley Cohen Gilliland, a deeply reported new book about Argentina’s “disappeared” (out Tuesday)EssayIllustration by Lucy Murray WillisHe Spent His Life Trying to Prove That He Was a Loyal U.

S. Citizen. It Wasn’t Enough.By Andrew AoyamaJoseph Kurihara watched the furniture pile higher and higher on the streets of Terminal Island. Tables and chairs, mattresses and bed frames, refrigerators and radio consoles had been dragged into alleyways and arranged in haphazard stacks. It was February 25, 1942, two and a half months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and the U.

S. Navy had given the island’s residents 48 hours to pack up and leave … A week earlier, President Franklin D. Roosevelt had signed Executive Order 9066, authorizing military commanders to designate areas from which “any or all persons may be excluded.” The order made no mention of race, but its target was clear: people who were ethnically Japanese.

Read the full article.More in CultureCatch Up on The Atlantic Photo AlbumSolar panels cover hillsides in China’s northern Hebei province. (Greg Baker / AFP / Getty)As the Trump administration’s “big, beautiful bill” eliminates many clean-energy incentives in the U.S., China continues making huge investments in the industry.

Take a look at the scale of China’s solar-power projects.Play our daily crossword.Explore all of our newsletters.When you buy a book using a link in this newsletter, we receive a commission. Thank you for supporting The Atlantic.

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